Rape of Trust
by MissDevon
Summary: A baby shower for CaRidge's impending baby seems like the perfect opportunity for Brooke to force Ridge's hand into revealing his secret. But what happens when this in turns forces Caroline to reveal hers, and the Spencer and Forrester clans to question motivations and actions.
1. Chapter 1

_**Rape of Trust**_

 **Chapter 1**

The board room of Forrester Creations was filled with the higher ups in the chain of command of the company ,not for a meeting reviewing the numbers for the upcoming fiscal calendar (that had been done earlier in the week) but for a baby shower for Caroline Forrester, lead designer and young bride of CEO Ridge Forrester. Pam was running around making sure the cake was in place and her lemon bars were the right temperature as she had intern, and younger sister to the former face of Forrester, Nicole Avant handing out the baby themed hors d'oevres to the various guests who were in clusters around the room. Steffy was sitting on the edge of her father's desk near her grandfather, Eric, with her boyfriend, Liam. Ivy was in a corner with her own boyfriend, and Liam's brother, Wyatt along with his mother, Quin and her husband Deacon (who had no idea why he was there except that his daughter, Hope, had begged off the party for some photo shoot and convinced him to bring her gift). Brooke Logan watched it all as she leaned against the back wall of the room drinking a glass of what appeared to be sparkling cider while she eyed up her multi time ex, Ridge, who was chatting with his nephew Zende and her nephew, and Forrester head legal counsel, Carter, while her son Rick, watched his ex-wife talk to her uncle Bill and his wife Katie, as Maya glided across the room to him, as if the fact that they could never have children and this farce was being thrown in their face was something that should be ignored.

"Don't you think it's time you started opening your gifts?" Brooke suggested as she leveled herself off the wall, calling attention to herself as she stood straight and tall in the position of power she had made sure she had taken up in the room.

Caroline cocked her head to the side: "there's no hurry, is there?"

"Well, I have to pick up RJ from his soccer game and I want to see your reaction to my gift," the older blonde replied breezily as she put her glass on the edge of Ridge's desk.

"Why don't you just bring him back here with you, Logan?" Ridge suggested as he moved to his wife. As much as he and the other men had complained about being here for this, they were enjoying each other's company on a nonprofessional level… for the most part.

"He'll have a ton of homework. Besides do you really think his first adult party should be a baby shower?"

Caroline sighed as she shifted in Ridge's arms and the other guests shifted uncomfortably. "It's ok… I mean, RJ comes first. And it's not like we have to call an end to the party when the gifts are all open. I mean Pam made all this food for us. We can stay and eat and talk…" she started to babble.

Ridge just shook his head as he leaned over and kissed her forehead: "whatever you want. It's your day."

"Our day," Caroline replied happily as she looked lovingly up into his eyes.

"Right…"

Caroline rolled her eyes as she went to sit in the Pam decorated and appointed Mommy Chair while Ridge stood behind her, refusing to sit in the matching Daddy seat. Caroline looked back giving him an amused look, which he returned as he bent down to kiss her, causing Bill to mutter an expletive which in turn caused Katie to elbow him in the ribs. Steffy jumped down from her seat on the desk taking up the task of present monitor (her Pam assigned duty since Caroline's mother Karen was unable to fly out due to the weather), while Ivy crossed over with a pad to write who had gifted the couple with what (especially since other members of the FC staff had sent gifts when they heard about the party from the motor mouth interns and Donna.) Katie went over to keep the gifts organized and Quinn went over to help with the wrapping paper.

"Someday this will be us. Surrogate or adoption we'll have our family too," Rick whispered into Maya's ear as he wrapped his arms around her waist in their place in a corner.

She looked up to him and smiled: "Love always finds a way," she replied as she snuggled into his hold and turned her attention across the room as Steffy took the two gifts from Brooke and the one from RJ from the pile: "Smaller one first," Brooke directed, causing Steffy to shoot her a 'really?' look and start wondering what her former step-monster was up to. It had been a while since the last Brooke Logan stunt and she'd been almost too calm about the whole new Mrs. Ridge Forrester situation.

"Here's your first present," Steffy said as she handed it cautiously to Caroline and shot her father a worried look. He only shrugged and rubbed his wife's shoulders, a perpetual smile plastered on his face.

Caroline carefully opened the paper causing her uncle to tease her: "just tear it off," he called over from his spot causing various members of those assembled to laugh.

"Hush you!" Caroline shot back as she gave him a mock glare and earned an indulgent smile from the Spencer patriarch. "It's the first gift and I want to save the paper for the baby book," she explained causing Brooke to roll her eyes. "Oh, how cute! Onesies!"

"Why don't you read them? I had them specially designed for you," Brooke suggested with a slight smirk.

Smiling, Caroline, turned the first one over Whose My Daddy? it read. Swallowing hard as she paled she turned to the next one as Steffy looked over her shoulder and Ridge started to turn red: And Maury saids the Daddy is… "What? I don't understand…" Caroline gasped as she looked back with fearful eyes to a furious Ridge and over to a righteous Brooked. "Why would you do this?"

"Because you deserve to know the truth," Brooke said as if it was obvious.

"What? What is this supposed to mean?" Caroline asked as she pushed up to her feet and the chair overturned and the offending items dropped to her feet as Ridge jumped back. "How do you know? How could you be so mean?"

"Really? YOU'RE blaming me for this?" Brooke asked.

"Brooke, shut up! Just leave it!" Ridge angrily entreated her, his arms hanging lifelessly at his side.

"Oh come on, Ridge! Just admit you had a vasectomy and that you can't father a child and we can all move on from all the lies you two are spewing of how you're this perfect couple!

Caroline turned around and looked at Ridge in confusion as tears glistened in her eyes and the room watched in shock, except for Bill who was being held back from going after Ridge by Katie who was trying to convince him to let them talk it out like he would've wanted to when Ridge busted up his wedding to Brooke. "You… you had… but you said…" she stammered as she shook her head.

"I went to a doctor the day after we got married," he answered truthfully as he took a helpless step towards her.

"The lock on our future," she whispered as she looked at the buttons on his shirt, refusing to meet his eyes.

"I wanted to get it reversed. He did tests and he said I couldn't. I was supposed to have them redone, but then you told me you were pregnant," he said softly and reached out cautiously to cup her face in his hand and slowly lifted her head up so he could look her in the eyes. "You were so happy. I couldn't ruin it. And I knew you didn't cheat. We were always together… the only time we weren't was the night I let you go…."

"It wasn't…. It wasn't like you think…. I didn't just find the first guy out there," Caroline started to explain as she brought her hand up to grasp hold of his wrist.

"It doesn't matter."

"But you have to understand…" she said, now almost clawing at his arms, her breathes coming out in huffs. "I went to the hotel and took a couple of pills. Then starting drinking… I was supposed to be alone… I wasn't going to do anything stupid; although I guess I did.

He came to talk.

We talked about work. What happened. Drank more. I think I remember kissing him… I don't really know if I do or if it's from what he told me," she said as the room grew deathly quiet, Ivy and Steffy sharing an all too knowing look as Katie quickly got her agitated husband out of the room and into his Caroline's office before he blew up in front of his already shaken niece. The other men didn't know where to look but their hands were fisted as Nicole stared while Maya covered her mouth to hold back her gasp as Rick tightened his hold on her. "I woke up in bed with him. I thought it was you at first… I remember I called your name, then he turned over…" she said her words tumbling over each other as Ridge forced himself not to go rigid in her hold. "He told me we had slept together and I was horrified. I wouldn't have done that to you. I still wanted to be with you. You have to believe me. That wasn't what I wanted or planned on," she insisted as she sagged against him, only his quick reflexes let him lower both of them to the floor. "It was just a drunken one night stand. I swear Ridge that was all it was," she cried into his shoulder as she burrowed further into his hold wanting all of what was happening to go away and for her to be able to just disappear.

"It was a lot more than that," Steffy said as she wrapped her arms around her torso trying to hold her own anger in.

"No. No. I wouldn't… I swear…." Caroline sobbed as she shook her head and lifted it slightly from her husband's chest and turned slightly towards her stepdaughter.

Ridge swallowed against the lump in his throat as the men in the room migrated towards their woman and the single ones to their friends, leaving Brooke horrified and alone. "I don't think that's what she means…." he whispered into his wife's hair, trying to keep his own anger and hurt for her in check. "Why didn't you tell me? You didn't have to carry this on your own…" he told her as he tightened his hold on her.

"It was a one night stand. What else could it be," she asked lifting her head from her husband's chest and seeing the looks she was getting from those closest to her. "No… No!" she adamantly refused shaking her head as she pulled back and looked her husband in the eye. Yes, she had momentarily considered the fact that it might have been sexual assault, but she and Thomas had cleared it up, hadn't they? He wasn't that guy. She had to make them see that. "It wasn't that. He even asked me if I thought he was that guy. I told him no," she told Ridge resolutely.

"If the guy had to ask, then he is," Nicole said from next to Zende, only a few feet away, but her voice strong and just as adamant.

"No. He's a good guy. A friend. Someone I trust…" she insisted shaking her head as she leaned against Ridge and looked around the room at her friends and family wanting them to understand that because of who it was it couldn't have been that.

"Tell me who," Ridge probed as he shared a look across the room with his daughter. From what she had said so far it was clear that the person worked at FC and they would not allow that type of behavior. If Caroline wanted to keep this between all of them then so be it, but who ever had hurt her would be out and faced with not only the Forrester men, but the Spencer ones as well. Hell it might be one of the only things he and dollar Bill ever agreed on. Steffy swallowed against the lump forming in her throat and gave a slight nod knowing what her father intended. She was in full agreement.

"It doesn't matter. It was just one night… we promised not to tell," Caroline admitted brokenly as she looked down at where her hands were worrying the buttons on his shirt... "It wasn't…" she swallowed. "It couldn't have been," she said looking down.

Ridge let out a frustrated sigh as he looked down at the top of her head: "let's get off the floor," he said simply as Liam and Wyatt came over to help their cousin up and over to a seat at the conference table and Ridge stiffly went over to Brooke: "Are you happy now?" he asked his ex. "Is this what you wanted?" he pushed as Ivy got Caroline a glass of water and Nicole brought her over a plate of food, but as she caught sight of the onesies that started the exchange she broke down into tears.

"I didn't know. How could I?" Brooke tried to defend herself her eyes conveying her own mixed feelings over the situation.

Ridge shook his head as he ran his hands through his hair: "I told you those things in confidence and you use them against me? Against my pregnant wife? What the hell were you thinking?"

"Ridge I…"

"You know what? I don't care. Clear out your desk. If you still want to work for the company you'll be on a plane for the European Division tomorrow morning!"

"But RJ and…"

"I'll be here for RJ. This isn't up for debate."

"Eric won't agree to this."

"Eric won't agree to what?" the man in question asked as he came over to the duo.

"That if I want to continue to work for Forrester I need to be on a jet tomorrow morning leaving RJ behind and giving up my job and life here."

"Who'd take over Brooke's position, I don't want this to just be a reactionary decision on your part, son," he said causing Brooke to smirk and cross her arms over her chest victoriously.

"Thorn. Bring him back and make this office a true family affair," Ridge answered evenly.

"I like that idea. All right. Not that you need my ok, but do it," he said as the door to the office opened and Thomas burst in full of energy from his meeting with a buyer.

"Hey, what's going on? I thought this was a party?" he asked a perplexed look causing a v to form on his forehead as he came further into the room and the door slammed behind him, causing Caroline to look up.

"Brooke blew it up," Nicole started to explain bluntly as Ridge crossed back to his place behind his wife, his hands instantly going to her upper arms as he caressed them softly up and down to calm her, pausing slightly as she tensed further. "Then we found out some secrets. Your father's vasectomy and the fact that Caroline was rape."

"What? Back up… Caroline?"

"Was raped," Steffy said as she took a seat on the edge of the table only a few inches from her stepmother. "Bastard did it when she was drugged and drunk."

"No… That's not what happened…." Thomas said as he walked towards the conference room table.

"How would you know?" Steffy asked, as Caroline's eyes widened in horror. "Thomas stop! It doesn't… I didn't…."

"We agreed that that wasn't what happened. You were mine that night," he blurted out.

"What did you just say" Ridge asked stiffly as he glared at his son and pulled away from his wife. His hand forming a fist even before the words started to fall from his son's mouth.

"We were drunk. I didn't know she took the pills. We slept together. It wasn't…" he started but didn't get any further as Ridge lunged at him and the two started to fight to everyone's horror. At first no one moved; frozen by the revelation that Thomas was the one who had in his mind had a one night stand with the blonde and the other's had sexually assaulted or raped her. Caroline was the first to move; begging them to stop. An arm thrown out and wide knocked her back and down, causing others to start to jump into the may lay. Rick and Carter grabbed hold of Thomas and dragged him out of the room as Zende held the door, muttering about getting rid of the garbage as Liam and Wyatt got a hold of Ridge and managed to hold him back. Steffy and Ivy were at Caroline's side as her cries grew harder. As the girls tried to help her to her feet she doubled over in pain, causing Ridge to rush to her side and Eric to call 9-1-1 as Bill and Katie returned to the room….


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

"Get off me," Thomas said as he pulled out of the hold of Carter and Rick as he was thrown into an empty office.

"Sit down and shut up, Thomas," Rick ordered as he straightened his vest.

"I need to explain. Tell them the truth," he said trying to push his way past his uncle who only shouldered him into a nearby chair as Carter took up a place where he could block the door.

"You really think you can explain your way out of this one?" Rick scoffed.

Thomas rolled his eyes: "You and your wife are the ones who branded her a cheat because of a couple of kisses."

"Yeah, and a kiss is just a kiss until it's not. Right, Thomas?" Carter put in.

"What the hell?" Rick asked as Thomas swallowed. "Yeah, Zende talks. I'd keep quiet about that one for right now if I was you," Carter warned as he shot a look over to Rick and then set his gaze back on their indignant captive.

"I'll still use that. She cheated on dad." Thomas sulked as he slid down in his chair and wrapped his arms around his chest.

"One I wanted to be with Maya. I would've used any excuse I could find and Caroline at least waited to we were living separately to get in bed with your dad while I set Maya up as if she was nothing more than a kept woman. Two your Dad doesn't consider your so-called night together cheating since they broke up for like ten seconds."

"Fine. It was still a drunken one night stand."

"Dude, she can't remember if she kissed you or not. She doesn't remember anything till she woke up the next morning- that's not the definition of a one night stand!" Carter argued from his place at the door.

"Who's talking? The family lawyer?"

"Seriously?" Carter asked as he looked up to the ceiling counting to ten and then back at Thomas. "What the hell does it matter? Look, drunken one night stand. We've done those. Shady at our age. Sure. But they happen. But girl so out of it she can't remember a thing the next morning, that's beyond shade. That's criminal!"

"She promised she wouldn't say anything!"

"And she didn't," Rick informed him coldly. "She never gave a name. You blew yourself out of the water. Hell she kept insisting it was a drunken one night stand, it's everyone else who doesn't agree."

"I asked her if she thought I was that guy, she said no."

"You really think any girl wants to think someone she trusts and is friends with is that guy?" Carter asked. "That's she's some kind of statistic when it comes to anything never mind to the number of girls/women sexually assaulted or raped by people they trusted?"

"She kissed me. For that night she was mine."

"And in the morning?" Rick pressed. "She cuddle? She smile up at you? Want to stay in bed? Or was she upset? Angry? Horrified? Mortified?"

Thomas shook his head: "she was embarrassed that she couldn't remember and upset that she went to bed with someone so soon after breaking up with my dad. She wanted to get back together with him and I was fine with that. It was one night. One drunken stupid night."

"He's not getting it," Rick sighed as he pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Ya think?" Carter asked as an ambulance could be heard in the distance and a knock was heard on the door.

Carter opened it slightly to Eric as an EMT crew went by led by Pam. "What's going on? Is it Caroline?" Thomas asked as he moved to get to his feet.

"Sit down young man. I think you've done enough damage for one day!" Eric said.

"Grandpa…"

"No. You are going to be on a plane to Paris tomorrow morning."

"But…"

"No buts, Thomas. You go or you're out of Forrester."

"For a drunken one night stand when she wasn't even married to my dad?"

"For the aftermath," Eric said not wanting to get into semantics with his grandson. "You are persona non grata at these offices. Tomorrow security will be told you are not allowed on the grounds until further notice."

"Steffy won't allow it."

"Thomas, it was her idea…."

* * *

Steffy stared at the wall of the hospital as Liam brought her a cup of coffee. "I can't believe this. How could this happen?" she wondered. "He was happy. For the first time that I can remember my dad was really happy. I even got over the whole age thing. I would see them together and they were just… always teasing each other and laughing… I don't remember him ever laughing so much. I mean… as a kid you always want your parents back together- even as screwed up as my dad and mom were together. And I was even used to the toxicity that was my dad and Brooke. Maybe that was it. I was used to him flittering from Brooke to my Mom and back again and I wanted to at least hold onto that illusion of malfunctioning normalcy… But I saw it eventually. He wanted this so bad and was so happy. They both were so how the hell did a day that was supposed to be so happy, even if we didn't necessarily show we wanted to be there to them, go so wrong? Even more how could that have happened to her and no one know?"

"We all knew he had a thing for her," Liam admitted.

"But to do that?" Ivy asked from her seat as she leaned forward in the chair and around her boyfriend towards the other couple.

"Why are we all avoiding the word?" Wyatt wondered as his leg bounced over the other where they were crossed. "He raped her. You want to clean it up: he sexually assaulted her, but it sure as hell wasn't a drunken one night stand. You said so yourself, Steffy. You were the first to. Does it suddenly change because it was your brother?"

Steffy sighed as she turned to look at them and shook her head: "I don't want to see him as that guy any more than Caroline does," she acknowledged. "But… look, you can't change what she said; he collaborated it. If he hadn't of said anything we wouldn't have known it was him. She was going to keep it secret…."

"I can't understand that… Having to see him every day. Work with him…. Often times alone," Ivy commented as Maya and Nicole joined the group.

"Not as much as she used to," Nicole pointed out. "She usually has interns in with them. Or they're in more public venues designing."

"Or in Dad's office with him," Steffy realized.

Maya nodded: "on some level she's uncomfortable around him. It's not the first time he's pushed the issue, only he usually doesn't push this far."

"Yeah, usually just a grab and kiss," Nicole commented.

"What?"

"Never mind. Separate issue," she said.

"So maybe that's why she doesn't admit it to herself," Liam mused getting back to the matter at hand.

"If it wasn't rape she can face him. She doesn't have to worry about what he'll do," Wyatt picked up from where his brother left off.

"And she doesn't have to hurt my Dad. Probably the real reason she never said anything. Wasn't about her. Wasn't even her and my dad, but Dad's relationship with Thomas," Steffy concluded.

"So what happens now?"

"He's out," Steffy said stiffening her spine as she went into corporate mode. "Dad and I… he gave me this look before Thomas came in. We both knew it was someone inside FC, but we couldn't comprehend or think that it would be Thomas," she looked down momentarily as she flicked the lid of her coffee cup. "It meant whoever it was was out. But since it's Thomas…

We have to contain it.

He goes to Paris and hopefully my mom can help him see how wrong this whole thing is and was. I can't believe it. My brother raped my stepmother."

* * *

Ridge stood at the room his wife was in, his head against the wood as he waited for word on not only her condition but their baby as well. And it was their baby no matter what anyone else might say. He had grown up over the years and was now mature enough to know that it wasn't DNA that made the father- he had learnt that raising Hope. No this child was a promise to them- the dream and vow they had made the day they were married. He had promised her a family and they would have it. Together.

How didn't matter. He supposed, in many ways it never had, but it was only with Caroline that he saw it.

"This is my fault," he said.

"Oh spare me the pity party," Bill Spencer intoned from a couple of feet away, legs spread shoulder length apart and arms crossed over his chest.

"Bill…" Katie warned from where she sat near him, pretending to read a Spencer Publication.

"For once he isn't at fault," Bill said looking down on his wife, before turning his attention to his on again off again nemesis. "You should have told her about the vasectomy but can't say I wouldn't have done the same."

"Remind me to have your medical records subpoenaed on Monday," Katie quipped.

"Like I really would?"

"Then hire a PI to check for more illegitimate William/Bill/Liam Spencers running around," she shot back as she calmly flipped the page.

Rolling his eyes, Bill turned his attention back to Ridge who had been following the banter: "You're not the bastard who raped my niece and I swear if I get my hands on him…"

"Yeah, 'bout that…"Ridge started as he opened and closed his bruised hand and a doctor walked out and addressed them: "Family of Caroline Forrester."

"That would be us," Bill said before Ridge could answer.

"How's my wife and the baby?" Ridge inquired.

The doctor looked him up and down taking in his hands and mussed attire. "Must have been some party. How she fall?"

"I lost my temper. Went after the guy I just found out had raped her. She was hurt in the may lay from what my family told the EMTs."

"I'm… it wasn't in her records."

"She doesn't want to admit it was rape," Katie said as she stood up. "Told us it was a drunken one night stand when pushed, but the details…"

"Can I inquire?"

"She doesn't know if she kissed the bastard or not. Woke up in bed with him the next morning," Bill said coldly.

"I take it she didn't report?"

"She wouldn't tell us who," Ridge admitted.

"Then how…"

"He tried to contradict her story…Look I just want to see my wife," Ridge said as he looked passed the doctor at the closed door.

The doctor sighed: "She is asking for you, but you need to be careful with her. Her blood pressure is very high right now which brings into play a whole host of possible complications. From what you have all just told me, we can hope that it is situational, but the stress is not good for her or the baby."

"And the baby?" Bill asked.

"We're monitoring it. Heartbeat is within normal range. She does have a fetal monitor on. I'm keeping her here at least overnight for observation. I'll suggest you drop the subject of rape. Even if she weren't pregnant she might not be willing or able to cope and process it at this time. The pregnancy can complicate it. Especially if…" she let off.

"Son of a bitch," Bill said as he spun around and punched a nearby wall causing Katie to flinch as Ridge just closed his eyes and inhaled sharply.

"I guess that answers that," she muttered as she moved aside to allow Ridge to enter the room.

He stood just pass the door uncomfortably in the dimly lit room listening to the whoosh of the baby's heartbeat mingling with Caroline's tears as she laid a awkwardly on her side with her back to the door. Inhaling, he straightened his back and crossed the room. He needed to do this for her and more importantly for them. He had to face up to what his decisions and indecisions had cost them and hope that they hadn't cost him her.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Ridge crossed the hospital room slowly and quietly and rounded the bed. Without a word, he pulled a chair up as close as he could and sat and took hold of his wife's hand. "Hey now, enough of that. You and the baby are going to be ok," he said as he used his free hand to wipe away a few tears.

"You must hate me," Caroline whimpered. "I wasn't even sure you'd still be here."

"And where else would I be?" he asked. Swallowing she shrugged as she seemed to draw further into herself. "Caroline if you want me to leave…"

"No… no… I don't know what I want right now Ridge… I just…" she exhaled on a cry. "You were never supposed to know. If you didn't find out it wouldn't hurt you and destroy your relationship with Thomas. God, he was so happy to finally have one with you. To be winning your approval! I ruined that."

"No," Ridge said. "His actions did. Or maybe mine did. I shouldn't have let you go that night. I was just afraid that one day you would regret giving up the family you wanted to be with me… an old man. That you'd leave and start it with someone else. I guess if I made the decision to let you go it would hurt less."

"But a… that was so, well, permanent."

"I had it in Paris before we ever became a we," he told her honestly as he wiped her hair out of her eyes. "Maybe we should talk about this later."

"No. Now…"

"Caroline, you're in a hospital bed."

"Then good place to talk, right? " she retorted then sighed and tried to shift to her back. Shaking his head in mild frustration, Ridge helped her then moved to the side of her bed. "I went to find out about having it reversed the day after we got married."

"But you couldn't?"

Ridge exhaled: "the doctor didn't want to perform a procedure that wouldn't work," he started to explain as he looked away from her and to the wall: "he thinks it was the trauma from the fall from the helicopter or it could be age… but… well, the count needed wasn't there and he didn't think that in vitro would be a viable option."

"But I would've…." she said as she shook her head.

"Why put you through that? I wanted him to redo the tests. Demanded it. He wouldn't. Was crushed but wouldn't crush your dreams. So I did some research on my own… I made an appointment to have the tests redone in a couple of weeks with a different doctor. I planned on telling you then if the results were the same and we could've talked about options then."

"You can't even look at me now, can you? Is it because I was with Thomas or because of what…"

Ridge shifted on the bed and looked at her in the eyes: "I'm embarrassed, all right? I'm supposed to be this 'player' or whatever it is they called me over the years. Married a bunch of times. Five kids. Then I find out I can't give you what I had no problem giving the other women in my life and it's the one thing you want most?" he shrugged. "I made a promise to you and I couldn't live up to my end."

"But to tell Brooke…"

"Yeah, not my smartest move, but I'm used to her being a part of my thinking process and talking things out with her. In her defense she wanted me to tell you. Told me if I didn't she would. Didn't see this one coming though."

Caroline swallowed as she brought an arm up over her eyes: "so you knew the baby wasn't… that I…"

"I told you," he said as he leaned over and brought her arm down: "we were always together. It could've only been that one night. I was stupid enough to let you go that night because I didn't think I could give you what you wanted, why would I go and compile the mistake by throwing what we have away based on a decision you made that night."

"Even with it being Thomas?"

"Still be part of both of us," he said stiffly as he ran a finger down her cheek.

"Ridge there's no way you can be that understanding."

"Been in that situation with Bridgett. Like to think that I've grown up since then, especially since I'm in the other position."

Caroline shook her head trying not to smile at his self-deprecating remark: "that's not funny."

"Almost got you to smile though."

She shifted her gaze to their joined hands: "even if this baby came to be from what they think happened?" she asked in a barely audible voice.

"Doesn't change anything or does it?"

"No…no…" she said as he eyes went wide and her free hand went over the fetal monitor. "I want this baby as much now as earlier today. I just. I can't think like that Ridge… I don't know if I ever can…" he tightened his hand on hers as he brought his other over hers on her bump. "Then we won't think like that. Our baby. Doesn't matter how. Just is."

"And what about you and Thomas? Don't let me have ruined…"

"We're going to be having RJ more…" he said changing the subject.

"Ridge."

"I'm sending Brooke to Paris tomorrow. Dad's calling Thorn and asking him to come back to the LA office to take over her duties."

"If Brooke is being banished to Paris what are you doing to your son?"

"It was a family decision."

"Ridge…"

"We don't want him near you. Don't want to upset you. Besides, it's probably better for his health at the moment that he isn't around. Your uncle hasn't gotten a hold of the information of who yet, since he was out of the room when I went after him. Dad was telling him he's being sent to Paris as well. Hopefully Taylor will be able to help him deal with whatever is going on with him that he… it's for the best."

"But…"

"It was Steffy and Dad's decision. I'd prefer to just work from home with you till after the kid is born."

"I'm not working from home."

"That's right. You're staying home and relaxing."

"Yeah, because I'm so the sit on my butt and do nothing all day. Don't think so."

"Caroline…"

"We'll see what the doctor saids," she argued as a knock sounded on the door. "You done hogging my niece, Forrester?" Bill asked as he pushed it open.

"If you mean having a conversation with my wife? No. Go away," Ridge answered even as he was getting to his feet and Bill and Katie were crossing the room.

"Yeah. Keep wishing," Bill shot back as he bent down and kissed his niece's forehead. "We'll get you home and everything sorted out, kid."

"I just want to go home and forget today ever happened. Just get back to planning for our little family," Caroline said as she reached for Ridge's hand and then looked up at her uncle. "Well, that and the usual Forrester/Spencer semi-feuding."

"Hey, there's nothing semi about it," Bill postured as Katie leaned her head on his shoulder and rolled her eyes at Caroline who only giggled at her uncle's antics, thinking that just maybe there could be a return to normalcy- or at least their version of it.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

Rick walked into the carriage house and pulled off his tie as he threw his suit jacket onto the couch and crossed to pour himself a drink. "That bad?" Maya asked as she watched him from where she leaned against a doorjamb.

Rick threw back his drink and started to pour another as he answered: "He had no idea what he's done. No remorse. Hell he's still insisting it was a drunken mistake!"

"Do you think it could've been? She did say…"

"You saw her, Maya. You really think it was just a drunken one night stand, especially with what she had to say?" he asked as he watched his wife.

"No," she admitted as she looked down. "I guess a part of me… well; I'd feel less guilty if it was. I mean, if I hadn't made such a big deal out of a few kisses between her and Ridge when you two were married maybe she would've said something…"

Rick shook his head: "Thomas tried the 'she's a cheater anyway' defense on me. I'll tell you the same thing I told him. I was looking for a reason out. I should've never married her, Maya. I wanted to be with _you_. I don't know… even if it was me and Caroline and I can't say that he wouldn't have done something like this. You know the stunts he pulled when she and I were dating and even how he tried to get between the two of us. There's just something that doesn't compute in that boy's head. It's like if someone is off limits it makes them all the more attractive."

Maya shrugged: "we should've realized something was going on. She was skittish around him lately… but even if… I mean, I certainly wouldn't have thought this… handsy or pushy yeah. But for him to go so far?"

"I don't know…" Rick admitted. "You go to the hospital?"

"Yeah. They're keeping her for observation and we're supposed to not mention the 'r' word. They're worried about her blood pressure," she explained. "You hear from your mother?"

"She's been leaving messages…"

"They're transferring her to Paris. Thorn's coming in to take over her position."

He whistled under his breathe: "not sure if I should be surprised or not. Thomas is being exiled to. My father gave him the news when Carter and I were having our chat with him."

"Why don't they just fire him?"

"Probably will eventually. He's not going to keep his nose clean. This is just to keep this quiet."

"Not like Bill is going to report on it."

"No, but a lot of others would love to run with this scandal."

"So it's about PR?"

Rick shrugged: "Pragmatically; partially. I think it's more about protecting Caroline at this point. If it gets out people are going to hear Thomas's side first and more likely believe his faster. I mean… guy stays with his wife after she's sexually assaulted, even by his own son, isn't as sensational as newlywed wife hides fact that she had one night stand with stepson that resulted in pregnancy."

"So we close ranks," Maya said simply. "We take care of FC, but Caroline and the baby are the priority."

"Exactly."

* * *

"So what the hell is going on?" Donna asked as she entered her sister's house.

"Shh, RJ's doing his homework upstairs and I don't want him hearing all of this," Brooke cautioned as she closed the door and indicated that her sister should go sit down in the living room.

"Brooke, I got back from delivering proofs to Oliver and the office was a buzz that something big went down at the shower. That Caroline was taken out on a gurney and to the hospital after Thomas was dragged out of the office by Rick and Carter and that YOU were somehow in the middle of it all!" she buzzed as she shrugged out of her light jacket and placed it and her purse onto one of the couches.

"Do you want a drink?" Brooke wondered as she poured herself one.

"I thought you stopped drinking," Donna chided as she crossed to her.

Brooked shot her a look: "After the day I had, I need it. Besides, I was never actually an alcoholic. I was just drinking too much to drown my sorrows."

"Oh and drinking away stress is soooo much better?"

"Do you want a drink or not?"

"Sure. Why not?" Donna sighed, thanking her sister as she took her glass and they both walked over to the seating area. "So what happened?"

"Well first of all, I'm glad you came to hear this from me before going to Katie…"

"What did you do Brooke?"

"I had only the best of intentions. I mean I certainly never thought that… well, it's not like _anyone_ could have foreseen the events that unfolded. If I had _any_ idea I certainly wouldn't have pushed the situation in the way that I had, but the truth had to will out somehow…."

Donna closed her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose: "what secret about Ridge and/or Caroline did you expose and how did it backfire on you?"

"Well, it wasn't exactly a secret secret. I mean, I wasn't exactly the only one who knew…"

"Brooke…"

"Fine," Brooke said in exasperation. "Ridge confided in me that he had had a vasectomy. He had planned to have it reversed after he and Caroline got married, but he told me two days later that he couldn't because of complications."

"Well, apparently he did…."

"Oh, no. He didn't. See, when Caroline got pregnant he _tried_ to convince me that the doctor had been wrong and he had tests done again and then had the reversal and just that quick," she said with a snap of her fingers, "Caroline got pregnant. Even went so far as to ask me what I was suggesting about his new young wife.  
Well, of course he should have quit while he was ahead because I _might_ have bought it if he hadn't thrown that it.  
Anyway, the more I watched them pretending that everything was perfect and that he was the father the angrier I got. I mean, you have to admit they have been throwing their picture perfect life into everyone's faces; especially Rick and Maya's."

"Like Rick and Maya don't have a picture perfect life right now?" Donna wondered.

"They can't have children together," Brooke pointed out. "Anyway, I digress.  
I figured I'd call them out and have them put all their cards of the table.  
I got a nice gift from RJ and even a nice gift from myself- of course those she didn't get to open," she explained as she threw her hair over her shoulder and raised her glass to her lips taking a sip. "I had the gift she opened specially made for the occasion."

"Do I even want to know?"

"They were adorable onesies hinting at the situation."

Donna closed her eyes: "No, you didn't…"

"They were both very upset…"

"I wonder why."

"I had warned Ridge if he didn't come clean with her I would tell her."

"I doubt he thought you do it in front of both of their families!" Donna pointed out. "But something tells me that was only the tip of the iceberg."

Brooke nodded as she put her glass on the table and rose to her feet: "Ridge insisted it didn't matter. Seems they were only apart for one night. The night they broke up because he couldn't give her kids."

"So she didn't cheat. Then what's the problem?"

"Apparently," Brooke started as she started to pace: "apparently, she didn't take the rejection well."

"Hence the one night stand."

"She took some pills. Had a few drinks. A friend came by- at least someone she had considered a friend…"

"Oh no," Donna said covering her mouth.

"She said they talked. She thinks she remembers them kissing. Then nothing to the next morning," Brooke said as she pivoted to look at her sister. "She said it was a mistake. A one night stand."

"Really, Brooke. You of all people…."

Brooke slumped onto the arm of the sofa: "it was with Thomas, Donna."

"She admitted that?" Donna asked as her eyes grew wide.

"She wouldn't say who.  
He came in, asked what was going on and Nicole filled him in and… he was furious when he thought she said she was raped and outed himself.  
Ridge attacked him.  
Liam and Wyatt had to pull him off.  
Rick and Carter got Thomas out.  
Caroline was knocked down during the fight and had to be taken to the hospital…"

"And you?"

"I'm shaken.  
I thought I was doing the right thing. If I had any idea I wouldn't have…"

Donna rolled her eyes: "really, Brooke?"

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Just that. You had to have known that at the least Ridge knew the baby wasn't his. How did you know that he _hadn't_ told Caroline and they had decided to just say it was?"

"Accepting someone else's baby as his isn't Ridge."

"Why? Because he didn't do it for you? Oh, wait he did with Hope."

"Donna, that was different."

"Just admit it, Brooke. You were jealous. You didn't like that he took her part. That he took her part when he told you to all but be careful what you said about her. He didn't consider it cheating because they had broken up."

"For one night, Donna. Let's not forget that point."

"And whose idea was it? And who was the one who immediately decided to try to fix things the next morning?" Donna shot back. "He made a decision to stick by him. Don't you think she would've done the same if she knew the truth?" Brooke huffed and looked away. "Does forcing her to have to accept that night as something else make you feel better? Think it will make things between Thomas and Ridge any better?"

"One thing I have come to learn over the years is that actions have consequences. They had to come into play. Stephanie wouldn't have wanted for Ridge's secret to be hanging over that poor innocent baby's head; and it's not like I knew her secret!"

"And what's your consequence in all of this, because most of this I could've gotten from Pam and then gotten the rationale afterwards. So what haven't you told me?"

"Before Thomas came in.  
When just the secrets were outed Ridge… well he's sending me to Paris.  
Told me if I wanted to work at FC that it was my only choice.  
Surprisingly Eric agreed with him.  
I leave tomorrow- without RJ."

Donna shook her head: "So I ask again: was it all worth it?"


	5. Chapter 5

_She slowly came through the fog that kept her under its weight and turned to what should've been the love of her life. His name was a whisper on her lips as the figure turned and she was faced with a nightmare. His smirk raised the bile in her throat as she jumped to her feet and covered her cries of no and that this wasn't what she had wanted, while he talked of how she had been his for the night she couldn't remember.  
She could only feel disgust.  
At herself.  
At him, she wasn't sure because she couldn't remember more than a looming figure and maybe a kiss. But was it a memory or his words evoking an image as she tried to get him to understand that this was so far removed from what she had wanted. What she would do. Who she was.  
Didn't he see that?  
Didn't he know her well enough to know that this should've never happened?  
His words of being drunk didn't make sense to her, because if he had been too drunk to know differently, didn't that mean that she had been as well, so why do this?  
Then the parting shot: "Do you think I'm that guy…" sounded with the slam of the door.  
She was left frozen.  
Was he that guy?  
Was she that girl?_

 _Which line had been crossed.  
Was there a "no." Could there have been one?_

 _Where was the line?  
Where and what was the answer?_

 _She crumpled to the floor drowning in tears.  
In despair of her own making…_

"Shh… Caroline, its ok. I'm here. It's just a dream…" Ridge said into his wife's hair as he held her close to his chest and rocked her slightly trying to calm her and slowly wake her from whatever nightmare she was trapped in. He could see from the monitor that her blood pressure was rising, even if her sobs hadn't been ripping through his chest and tearing at his soul; especially as she jerked out of his hold.

Breathing heavily, Caroline came to consciousness suddenly. Her body recoiled from the one holding her instinctively, and then as her eyes flew up and connected with her husband's slowly curled into itself. "It was what they said," she all but whispered in desperation.

"Caroline…"

"No… I… I remember the next morning and… I told him that I hadn't wanted _that._ That I wouldn't have. If it was because of the wine and he knew he was drunk shouldn't he have known I was too?"

"We don't have to talk about this… it's not good for you right now."

She shook her head: "I have to face it sometime, don't I?" she wondered as she swiped at her tears and unfolded herself. "He raped me," she said simply. "I have to sa…say it. Have to… I don't know."

"But not right now. Come here. Let's talk about something else."

"Like what?" she wondered. "What can we talk about that will take our minds off of that?"

"How about _our_ baby?"

"Ridge…"

"We need a name, you know. We haven't discussed one yet. Any ideas?"

He asked as he shifted on the bed and held her so she leaned against his chest. "You really want to talk baby names right now?" she asked as she put one hand on her bump and the other on the fetal monitor.

"Sure, why not?"

"OK…" she said unconvinced. "So boy or girls name first?"

"Doesn't matter. Just throw them out there."

"Really. So what if I suggest. I don't know? Isadora?" she asked.

"Not too bad. But all I can think of is Dora the Explorer."

"And how do you know Dora the explorer?"

"Your cousin likes her and her brother, Diego."

Caroline laughed: "OK, so no Isadora. You got one?"

"What about Douglas, for my mom?"

"Pam will think it's for her, but maybe a middle name. I was kinda thinking of… well, keeping with part of… it's kinda narcissistic when I think about it, but its part of both of us…"

"Caroline…"

"Spencer."

"Spencer?"

"Ah huh."

"Spencer Forrester."

"Yep."

Ridge inhaled: "Bill's going to think it's for him."

"Then maybe you should, I don't know, start calling my uncle by his first name?" she teased.

"Let's not go that far in the whole getting along thing," he shot back as he looked down at her with a smile, "but I could see it. It's us."

"So, that a yes?"

"I think so," he said. "What about a girl's name since you're so good at this?"

She rolled her eyes: "I ummm… well, I was thinking of going family with that too, just not the same way."

"What do you mean?"

"Honoring people who are no longer with us."

"Oh."

"Yeah," she sighed as she linked her fingers with his and then looked at him. "I was thinking of maybe having a name that Aly could be the diminutive for. Alison, Alyssa, Alana… something along those lines."

Ridge nodded: "I'd want to talk to Thorn and see how he felt about it before we made it definite.'

"Of course. I wouldn't image doing it without checking with him first."

"But I have to say I'd also want our daughter to have her own identity and not be owned by having been named for someone else."

"Umm, Steffy was named for Stephanie and seems to have done quite well for herself in spite of it."

"But my mom was still alive, and she was 'Steffy,' not Stephanie. She had her own identity separate from my mother."

"Oh," Caroline said slightly disappointed. "I never thought of it that way. I mean I always thought that it was cool I was named after my aunt. That it was this big honor, not something I had to live up to."

"Then maybe Alyssa or Alana. She could be Lyssa or Lana too, not just Aly. Named for someone, but still her own person."

"I liked that compromise, if Thorn is ok with it. So which one?"

"You want me to pick?"

"Well, I picked the boy's name."

"Then Alana," Ridge said. "Now what about her middle name."

Caroline looked down and mumbled the name, causing Ridge to ask her to repeat herself: "I suggested Phoebe, for her older sister," she repeated, not looking at him.

He swallowed and shifted uncomfortably. "It's a nice idea, but Steffy…"

"She and Liam used it for Aspen's middle name. It'd be for her too… which is something else I want to we have to discuss."

"What is?"

"Just…" she exhaled. "What about Phoebe if Steffy is ok with it? Would you be ok with it? I want the baby to be connected to its siblings, well except for… and I just thought if it was a girl it would be a way to form that connection."

"Can I have time to think about it?"

"Yeah. It's just a middle name. We can always come up with something else."

Ridge only nodded as he kissed her head, "so what's this other thing you wanted to talk about?"

"Godparents."

"Now there's a loaded topic."

"Maybe not."

"With our families?" he asked. "I'm sure your uncle's expecting to be asked, not that I'd mind asking Katie…"

"I was thinking of… well, what about Steffy?"

"Really?"

"Yes, really. Why wouldn't I want to ask your daughter to be godmother to her younger sibling?" she asked.

"I'm just a little surprised. I suppose you plan to ask Liam…"

"Actually," she cut him off, "I was thinking more of Wyatt."

" _Wyatt_?"

"Yeah, you know my other adult cousin?" she asked. "Look, Liam and Steffy are engaged and will be involved in this baby's life. And I know that Wyatt will be too. I just… I want Wyatt to know that he's important to me too. I also see some qualities in Wyatt that I think Liam doesn't share and that I'd like to see imparted to our child."

"I could see that. They both have different strengths and weaknesses and Wyatt and Steffy complement each other in a way as well…"

"So, another decision made?"

"Another decision made," he agreed. "Think you could go back to sleep now?"

"Maybe," she sighed. "As long as you don't mind holding me."

"Since when have I ever minded that?"


End file.
